Courts Consolidate Xarelto Bleeding Lawsuits

Xarelto

Big Pharma started 2015 with the news that two U.S. courts consolidated groups of Xarelto lawsuits that claim the blood thinner caused severe bleeding, some of which caused drug recipients to die.

An oral blood thinner developed and sold by Bayer and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Xarelto (rivaroxaban), hit the U.S. market in July 2011 and quickly grew into a popular alternative to an older medication, warfarin. The drug’s makers marketed the drug as superior to warfarin.

Unlike warfarin, Xarelto has no dietary restrictions or blood tests but causes more gastrointestinal bleeds. This excessive bleeding led to serious complications, and patients and families soon turned to litigation as compensation for damages.

The first consolidation order came in December 2014 when the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict District Litigation (JPML) transferred about two dozen cases in Louisiana federal court. The defendants, drug giants Bayer and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit, claim there were not enough similarities to go ahead with the order, but the panel disagreed.

Settlement reached with 26 plaintiffs in deadly Midland train accident

Train Accidents

Eight families involved in a lawsuit in a deadly Midland train crash have agreed to a settlement with Union Pacific Railroad.

Four veterans were killed when a train crashed into a parade float back in 2012.

After two years in litigation, 26 of the 43 plaintiffs have entered into a confidential settlement.

Trial is set to begin on Jan. 26 in the 441st District Court in Midland County, Texas. Judge James Rush is hearing the case after Judge Satterwhite recused himself.

Glasheen, Valles & Inderman released this statement on Friday:

Bob Pottroff of Manhattan, Kansas and the Kevin Glasheen of Glasheen, Valles & Inderman jointly represent eight families involved in the fatal accident in which a freight train struck a parade float in Midland, Texas on November 15, 2012. The parade was travelling south on Garfield, crossing the Union Pacific tracks near Front Street. There were four fatalities and multiple serious injuries.